


An Apple A Day

by AnonymousArchive



Category: Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Apples, Awesome Facial Hair Bros, Banter, Check-ups, Cute, Doctor Stephen - Freeform, Doctor/Patient, Eventual Romance, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Hospitals, How Do I Tag, Humor, I'm Bad At Tagging, IronStrange, Light-Hearted, M/M, Not Beta Read, Not Canon Compliant, Oblivious Stephen Strange, One Shot, Pepper Potts Is a Good Bro, Pining, Pining Tony Stark, Short & Sweet, Slow Burn, Supportive Pepper, Sweet, but not really, patient Tony
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-13
Updated: 2019-05-13
Packaged: 2020-03-02 16:52:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18815050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnonymousArchive/pseuds/AnonymousArchive
Summary: It was supposed to keep the doctor away. Needless to say, nothing ever goes as planned for Tony.ORThe one where Stephen is Tony’s doctor, and the billionaire has made it his life mission to spite the man (until things change, and now he’s trying to win the man’s heart).





	An Apple A Day

**Author's Note:**

> I didn't proofread this, nor did I even have a plotline to begin with. Therefore, it is safe to say that I just shelled this out and thought to post it the moment I finished. I'm sorry if it's a monstrosity, but I do hope you enjoy nonetheless.
> 
> It's also my first IronStrange fic, so please forgive me.

Stephen found the hospital a bit too exhausting, some days.

Sure, he loved his work and was incredibly proud of the lives he’d saved in the years he’s spent in this facility, but he would be lying to himself if he didn’t admit the surge of a headache his patients would give him on occasion.

Specifically, the headache a certain arrogant, stubborn, and cocky billionaire would _deliberately_ try to give him.

“Please tell me this is a joke, Stark,” an exasperated Stephen had muttered in disdain, eyeing the red fruit in the calloused hand of his patient.

“ _Au contraire_ , it is not, doc,” Tony said with a wicked grin, biting into the apple he brought with a munch, just for added theatrics.

He was good at that, annoying the _crap_ out of him.

The doctor chose not to let it faze him instead, running through the usual procedures as quickly as he could, sparing no mind to his patient’s excessively loud chewing. Besides, the faster this check-up would go, the better, for both parties involved.

The room soon filled with the silence beyond Stephen’s quiet instructions, if one would tune out the crunch of the apple every now and then. It got on his nerves for sure, but he knew better than to show any sign of that irritation. He couldn’t let Tony win this one, knowing exactly the reaction he wanted from the doctor.

So he persisted, eventually finishing the procedure he’d come to have memorized after endless repetition. He now sat idly in his desk, with the shorter man watching and still annoyingly eating his damn fruit as Stephen listed his findings in scribbles only fellow doctors understood.

“That one,” the patient in question suddenly said, pointing at one of his notes, “looks a lot like a worm. It’s cute.”

He really wished he could say something, voice out his growing anger. Instead, he pursed his lips, keeping a cool gaze into Tony’s bright brown eyes, hoping the glare gets his message across.

“Sassy as ever, doc.”

Guess it didn’t.

“Have you been feeling any chest pains in the last 3 weeks?” he droned out instead, blatantly ignoring Tony’s quips, the words leaving him so smoothly out of practice.

“Nope,” the man had merely muttered, hands still toying around with the half-eaten apple in his hands.

“Difficulty breathing?”

“Still the same, Strange,” he replied with his mouth full, words slightly fuzzy due to that fact.

Stephen looked up from his clipboard at that, only to be met by Tony’s stuffed cheeks. He chose to ignore it altogether, focusing on the matter at hand. “Is that a no or—”

“It’s still shallow,” Tony said after he swallowed and shrugged, “as to be expected.”

He can’t tell whether it’s the man’s nonchalant acceptance of his health condition or the dejected shrug that gets him, but the doctor in Stephen must’ve taken over as his normally monotone voice takes a slight tinge of concern, “Taking your meds for that?”

The twinkle of mischief in Tony’s eyes was surely hard to miss. “The apples would do, no?”

As soon as it came, the caring nature was replaced with annoyance.

The doctor rolled his eyes at that. “A proverb isn’t going to stop the regular check-ups from happening, Stark.”

“Mmm, they won’t. But it’s sure fun to see you all red in irritation.”

Tony got a glare for that. He probably deserved it.

“We done?”

“Leave.”

He stood up, tossed the apple core in the air, and caught it gracefully back in his hand, before speaking, “Gladly.”

—•—

“Well?” Pepper inquired, standing from the couch she had been perched on while waiting for Tony’s check-up to finish.

“I’ll have you know, he sure _loves_ the apple,” he smiled, still playing with the empty core left in his hand.

His assistant sighed. “That’s not what I meant.”

He raised his eyebrows in question. “Then what _did_ you mean?”

“ _Tony_.”

“He didn’t make me do anything spectacular,” he finally relented, “so I’m taking that as a greenlight of good health.”

“That sounds great,” she spoke warmly, before quickly moving on to the next agenda on Tony Stark’s ever-busy schedule. “Now, you have contracts to sign.”

“Right,” the businessman sighed, dropping the apple core in the nearest bin as his dull day went on.

—•—

Tony remains just as difficult the next time he visits.

Stephen was sorting out a bunch of paperwork at the time, the man’s antics far from his mind. With his back turned, he was preoccupied with work he really didn’t want to bother with, sorting patient after patient in the filing cabinet behind his desk.

He wasn’t one to complain, however. Ever since the accident that made him incapable of surgery, this mundane was what his career was made of. He missed the old days, but he was also grateful for still being able to don the white coat. He was still serving his purpose here, as small as his tasks may be.

As soon as he hears the raspy clear of a throat however, he is reminded why he dearly misses his patients drowsy in anaesthetic instead of awake.

“Ah, Stark. Finally you’re—” he stops abruptly, eyes glued onto Tony’s two hands, the fruit he’s suddenly grown to loathe in their grasp.

The questioning gaze he sends the man seems to fuel him, and he is met with a mischievous smile. Stretching out a full hand, he speaks, “For you, doc.”

_Great, two apples now._

“Is this going to be a running joke of yours now?” he asked with exhaustion, rubbing a slightly shaky hand on his forehead to ease the tension.

The smile just grows wider, if that’s even possible. “Sure is.”

“Oh, _marvelous_.”

He pressed the outstretched arm forward, closer to the irritated doctor. “Aren’t you going to accept my little gift of gratitude?”

He peeks through his fingers, eyes holding so much annoyance to power a generator. The looks doesn’t seem to faze the man. Desperation soon seeps into his voice, as subtly as ever, “Will you stop if I do?”

“Never.”

He sighs and takes the apple anyway.

“Of course not.”

Tony sits down at that, the smallest smile gracing his features as he fiddles with his own apple. Stephen shakes his head at this, sighing again to vocalize his exhaustion.

“Alright,” he eventually says, taking the stethoscope around his neck and placing it in his hands, standing to begin the rehearsed procedures, “let’s just get to it.”

The glint of curiosity in Tony’s eyes makes this all the more difficult. “Afraid you’ll burst in anger, doctor?”

“Afraid I’ll forcefully shove you out the door before this is over, Stark,” he deadpanned.

“Ooh, feisty,” the man teased with a growl.

“Tony,” he sighed again, squeezing his eyes shut.

The man just batted his eyes dramatically, another one of his theatrics, “ _Yes_ , Stephen?”

This was going to be a _long_ day.

—•—

“He kept holding back curses, Pep,” he said with an enthusiasm the girl couldn’t ignore, “He was _so_ red.”

“Ever so mature, boss,” she said with an eyeroll.

“He even took the apple, resigned,” he said triumphantly, tossing his own one into the air just for it to be caught.

“We come here to get check-ups,” Pepper reminded him. “Not to anger the person who’s _helping_ you.”

“Let me have my fun.”

“As long as you make sure your _fun_ ends in this meeting,” she reprimanded, holding the door to the Stark Tower open for him.

Tony groaned at that, like the child he is.

—•—

They start to get used to it, honestly.

Two apples every visit, one for Stephen and one for Tony. The two had gotten to the point of having time allotted in their meetings to just eating the fruit, maybe a few moments for conversation if the opportunity presented itself. The supposed fifteen to twenty minute check-up was now spanning thirty to thirty five, and neither of the two minded.

From a place of spite and loathing, Tony had now seemed to belong in Stephen’s circle of patients he found worth his time. The billionaire didn’t really notice it, until his doctor had stopped reacting too violently to his silly and over-the-top antics. If he squinted, maybe he’d see the fondness in his glares too.

Was this a friendship? Could be.

“Just say our safe word when you’re done gagging over there.”

About to bite into his apple, Stephen stopped to make the most disgusted face he could at the suggestion Tony’s words brought, his piercing squint never once losing its intensity.

To that, the shorter man could only laugh so much. The unfinished apple was then discarded instantly as the doctor made a move to stand.

“We’re starting now, since your runny mouth just loves ruining things.”

“Mmm, want to test that theory, _doc_?”

The disgusted face came back on. “God, Tony, stop!”

The man laughs again, and this is when he realizes that he’ll never get sick of irritating Stephen, for sure.

—•—

“You seem different,” Pepper observantly says as she escorts him to the car, getting a confused look from Tony.

He gave her a twirl, his hands gesturing towards his entire self, being as dramatic as ever. “How, exactly?” he then voiced.

“It’s nothing physical… just, you seem happier.”

This time, the man couldn’t joke around. “Happier? What makes you say that?”

“I don’t know,” she ponders, before shaking her head to discard the idea. “Nevermind.”

He gives her a meaningful look, before shrugging in return. “Alright.”

They leave it at that, for now.

—•—

“I was told you had heartburn in a couple of meetings this week?” Stephen inquired, the doctorly concern he had slowly finding its way in his tone.

Tony didn’t seem to notice as he shrugged, placing an apple — green, this time — on his desk. “Yeah, nothing to fuss about.”

He chose to ignore the fruit today, asking instead, “Is it the cheeseburgers or the coffee?”

The glare from his patient was almost enough to make him smirk just as wickedly as the man had in the past. _Almost_.

“How about it’s none of those?” he retorted, the stubborn side of him surfacing.

“Mmm, keep telling youself that,” Stephen muttered, losing the warmth to his voice as he teased while listing this incident in Tony’s file.

“I eat apples a day, Strange. That should keep me away from here.”

“Clearly, that’s working out for you,” he replied with sarcasm, eyes still glued on the clipboard he was haphazardly scribbling into, the penmanship ever so shaky.

The tense silence that followed after made it known to Stephen that the man wasn’t taking this news in stride. Probably concerned for his health, just as he should be. As a doctor, he knew however that it was easy to blow things out of proportion, especially since Tony knew he had other complications above his unhealthy diet and self-destructive habits.

At that realization, Stephen knew to soften his voice. “Nothing to be scared of, Tony.”

His ever so annoying patient looked up to him without malice this time, only warm brown eyes looking for reassurance. He then curtly nodded to the doctor, shoving his hands in his pockets.

“Keep up with your meds, hmm?”

“Alright doc.”

They sat in silence for a moment, until the billionaire finally realized the check-up was over.

When he made it to the door however, the taller man called out to him. Promptly turning, he could see the faint amusement in his blue eyes as he heard him speak.

“Make sure you include apples.”

Tony left with a warm smile on his face, not a single trace of mischief.

—•—

The silence surprised Pepper. She knew he should be animatedly describing his doctor’s reactions to his quips by now, but all he had was that dumb small smile.

“Boss?” she prompted delicately.

He suddenly jumps, as though startled. “Oh, sorry Pep. Did you say anything?”

“How’d it go?”

“He was great,” Tony haphazardly blurts out, unaware of what he just said.

She smiles knowingly at this, letting the incident go for the meantime.

—•—

Stephen stared in disbelief at the gift he was being given. “A basket… of apples…”

“It’s nothing really,” Tony said bashfully, a tone of his voice the doctor never expected to hear in his lifetime. “Just a thank you present.”

For a thank you present, it was quite over-the-top. As to be expected from the billionaire, but still.

It was a not-so-little stack of apples in red and green, all delicately positioned underneath a layer of cling plastic that kept the fruits in place. A gold ribbon tied to the brown woven handle of the sturdy, somewhat bigger-than-average basket.

He didn’t know what to do.

To fill the quiet, Tony had all but chosen to keep his mouth shut, his rambling holding a nervous energy that was just so uncharacteristic of the man Stephen had come to know, “I know it’s a lot for just _one_ person, but maybe you could share it with your colleagues if it’s too much or better yet, give it to some of your other patients since the proverb does suggest better health and keeping the doctor away, not that I want you to be jobless or anythi—”

What was happening?

“Thank you?” the doctor interrupted, his gratitude ending on a question mark at the uncertainty.

“No… No problem,” Tony then smiled, shoving hands into his pocket.

There was something different here. Stephen wanted to know what.

It was fleeting, however, as the patient took his seat and waved his hands, as if rushing him. “Okay, doc. Let’s get on with it now.”

He was looking everywhere but at him, and that caused Stephen’s curiosity to grow. He then shot him a piercing gaze, trying to read him, before eventually letting it go and placing the basket down from his desk.

“If you say so, Tony.”

—•—

Pepper could see it, but she dared not to speak.

He was pining, and he seemed utterly oblivious to the nervous energy he had been radiating all this time. It was cute, and refreshing. He was used to seeing Tony’s playboy side, not this flustered and nervous romantic.

“I should stop with the apples,” he mumbled, a bit more to himself. “Maybe it’s too much.”

“Don’t want to keep him away anymore, boss?” she joked knowingly. All she got was a glare in return. The lack of verbal retort confirmed her suspicions even more.

She made a mental note to make the check-ups more frequent, already composing a letter about it to send to Dr. Strange’s email.

—•—

He blinked at the sign on the door. “ _The Doctor is OUT_ ,” it read, and he couldn’t deny his heart sank at the sign.

He fiddles with the apple in his hand, before sighing as he stands, biting into it.

“Pepper, he’s not here today,” he called out dejectedly, despite himself.

—•—

“Dr. Stephen Strange,” she greeted him with a hand. “I’m Pepper Potts, pleased to personally meet you.”

He takes it and gives a firm shake, despite his trembling and scarred fingers. “The pleasure is mine, as well. What brings you here today?”

“Mr. Stark, of course,” she said with a smile, before gesturing to the desk. “Only if you’re not too busy.”

“Oh, it’s fine, take a seat.” She does as told.

His mind is preoccupied, as usual, hands busy with files as he speaks, “What’s so urgent that you needed to come to me?”

With hesitation, she presses on, “Tony is… He’s terribly sick.”

His actions halt at that, eyes shooting forward to meet her gaze.

“What…?”

—•—

The next visit comes, and Tony’s surprised to find that Stephen had an apple ready for him.

That meant they had _four_ apples today, and he really couldn’t help the laugh that left his lips. It was sweet, although also silly, and he didn’t know if it was the swell of his heart that made him smile or if it was just the hilarity of the situation.

“Tony, hi.”

It was definitely the former.

“Um…” he merely said, awkward all of a sudden. There was something in that baritone voice that made him tremble ever so slightly, and he was sure his red blush was physical evidence enough.

“Sit?” Stephen said, confusion making it sound like a question, and the way his eyebrows were furrowed and his eyes holding an innocent glint, it was just too much.

He diligently obeyed nonetheless, and he felt himself growing hotter by the minute. This was a weird feeling, and to have it for his _doctor_ , of all people? He really loved making bad decisions, didn’t he.

“Some leftover apples from your basket,” the doctor mentioned nonchalantly, gesturing towards the apple he offered to his patient, before biting into his own.

He was doing the same playful crunch Tony had the first time he brought this damn fruit into this office, and sure as hell it wasn’t irritation he was feeling.

It was something else, something strong and tense in the atmosphere they shared.

What was happening?

“I’m not feeling it today, doc,” he nervously replied, taking the apple and placing it in the bag he carried instead. “I’ll save it for later.”

“Mmm, if you wish,” Stephen simply said, his voice deep as the ocean, his mesmerizing blue eyes piercing as ever.

_Damn, Stark. Get it together._

“So,” he said with a clap, “the check-up?”

“Of course,” the taller man said, taking his stethoscope as usual, and making a move towards Tony.

He felt his breath hitch in his throat at the close proximity.

Stephen creased his brows in confusion, “Tony?”

“I… I’m fine.”

The look in his eyes told the billionaire that he was doubtful, but he pressed forward anyway, drawing out even more breath from him as he felt his hand press the stethoscope on top of his heart, like he had been for the past visits.

Still, there was something electric and different about it this time, and Tony felt the thick tension heavy around them.

“Your heartbeat’s beautiful, Tony.”

He couldn’t believe his ears. He was heating up, and was probably already as red as a tomato right now.

At this, Stephen laughed aloud, dropping his hand and halting his actions altogether, leaving Tony forever confused.

“You should’ve seen the look on your face,” was all the doctor could manage to say in between fits of laughter.

Tony felt stupid.

“You done now, Strange?” he said, admittedly in a hostile manner.

Stephen was quick to pick up on the change of tone, and immediately softened his tone as he took a seat. “Tony, I’m sorry. I just had to after I found out you were sick.”

Tony blinked, dumbfounded. “I’m sick?”

“Yeah, it’s bad.”

He couldn’t help himself from frowning. “What is it?”

Stephen then smirked. “You’re terribly lovesick, it seems.”

A pause.

Then a slam of a door, before a distant “Tony!”

—•—

“You did this, didn’t you?” he said, still annoyed.

Pepper could only smile.

“I hate you.”

“You’ll thank me later.”

—•—

He didn’t want to go to the hospital anymore, after everything.

He feels as though he’d made a complete fool of himself. Stephen had known about his pining, and had treated it as just a simple joke. Was that karma for his antics and quips way back when? He didn’t believe in that bullshit, but it was the most reasonable explanation he had for his goddamn luck.

Pepper kept pestering him to go, anyway. That no matter his feelings, Stephen was still his doctor, and he still needed to get through check-ups to ensure that his health is managed well enough to let him survive a while. He asks for a change of doctors, but she denies him this. He will never understand why she loves to torture him.

In the end, he really didn’t have a choice. So he went, despite himself, no apple in hand this time because he didn’t feel like it anymore.

To his surprise, it was a flower that met him that day. A red rose, as red as the apple he had first taken to this office.

Confused, Tony looked at Stephen’s eyes for an answer.

 _Big mistake_ , he tells himself. One of his favorite assets to Stephen was his eyes, after all. And today, they had been perfectly filled with something warm and fuzzy and it made his heart swell, differently from the way it had when the doctor played dirty.

“You came,” was all that came from the taller man’s mouth, sincerity laced in his tone.

“For my check-up,” he replied simply, hesitant to do anything right now.

Stephen opened his mouth as if to say something, before shutting it closed again, his hands trembling with more strength than normal. Before Tony could really do anything though, the man shut his eyes, muttered something to himself, and then regarded his patient with absolutely no hesitation or nervousness. It was alluring, to be the sole focus of his intimate gaze.

“I’ve done some thinking,” he begins, fiddling with the stem of the rose, “and I’ve come to the conclusion that what I did was stupid. When Pepper told me you were pining after me, specifically saying you were _lovesick_ , the first thing that came to mind was to make it a joke. It sounded funny, the concept of you liking me that way, that I had to… do what I did. And I regret it, I’m sorry about that.”

His gaze shifted into something of adoration, and Tony sucked in a breath. “When I had realized this was something more _serious_ , I gave it some thought and… you amuse me, Tony. You’ve annoyed me to hell in the beginning sessions but with time, I’d found myself to have grown rather fond of you. It was clear now that after I’d done what I did that you would never come asking me out, so instead… I’ll spare you the embarrassment.”

He stretched his hand out, holding the rose towards Tony. “I’m not forcing you to accept this, but if you’re still willing to give us a chance then—”

“Okay, I’ll do it.”

Tony had never been this sure in his life.

Stephen was disbelieving. “What?”

He took the rose, small smile now on his lips. “You’re so dumb, but I forgive you, Stephen. I’ll… I’ll give us a shot.”

The smile that grew on the doctor’s face made Tony’s heart swell, and when the two moved to hug, he found himself content.

—•—

“An apple a day keeps a doctor away, huh? That didn’t quite go as planned, now did it?”

“Shut up, Pepper.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you liked this, I really do. I'm kind of ashamed for not reading it twice before publishing, so I hope it's not as cringy as I think it is. I, having no experience in the medical field whatsoever, also don't know what the hell goes on in a hospital, nor what kind of things happen in a check-up, nor what kind of complications Tony would have (made that up as I went), so it's safe to say that this might be inaccurate at one point (or more).
> 
> If there's any way to make this better, feel free to leave a comment. I am open to critique and I need help, after all. Your comments and kudos are much appreciated, as well. Thanks for stopping by.


End file.
